July 5 Full moon and lunar eclipse The full moon and partial lunar eclipse occur at 13 degrees Capricorn on July 5 at 8:04 a.m. For this next month, the emphasis is on creating emotional safety, groundedness, and security. The full moon in Capricorn calls us to reconnect with the earth element in our lives. The challenge this month is to tune in to our natural self-reliance. The lunar eclipse will also heighten our desire to take whatever steps are necessary so that we can be more fully in our bodies, secure in the knowledge that we are approaching life with a pragmatic and realistic focus. July 5-7 Mercury trine Uranus With these two planets acting synergistically, we have an unusually strong connection with higher mind. Mercury/Uranus can seem a little over-stimulating at first, as the concrete mind is flooded with insight from higher mind. Have a tape recorder ready so you can "download" some of this highly intuitive or introspective information. July 5-8 Mercury conjunct Chiron With Mercury conjunct Chiron in Sagittarius, the focus is on healing the wounds we have around trusting our inherent wisdom. It is now time to throw off the injunctions (from past and present lives) that have prevented us from speaking the truth as we know it. This may look like letting go of the thought that we must have advanced degrees or special training to validate and prove our spiritual authority. Or it may require that we learn to let go of the conscious mind long enough so that our inherent wisdom can surface on its own without censoring. Once we have done our healing work, Mercury and Chiron in Sagittarius will bring us incredible opportunities to powerfully share universal truth and wisdom on the planet. July 12 Mercury enters Cancer Mercury travels through the sign of Cancer from July 12-30. With Mercury in Cancer, we have the opportunity to blend our intellect with our emotions. It is a time for all of us to speak out more honestly about what we are feeling. If you consider yourself emotionally centered anyway, this is a time to communicate more clearly about what you are feeling, as you will be able to use the natural discriminative qualities of the mind to clarify your emotions. If you are more intellectually centered, this is a time to suspend your critical faculties long enough for the underlying emotion to be heard. In other words, this could look like going with your emotional promptings despite your mind's objections or analysis. July 12 Jupiter enters Cancer Jupiter also moves into the sign of Cancer July 12, and will be there until August 1, 2002. Jupiter is very much at home in Cancer, and we should feel a significant shift as it moves out of the air sign Gemini and into the water sign Cancer. Jupiter is the planet of expansion, and it is said to be exalted in the sign of Cancer, the sign associated with the moon, or one’s "feeling" nature. With Jupiter in Cancer, the major focus is on expanding our feeling nature and creating a sense of home and belonging for ourselves. For instance, individuals born with Jupiter in Cancer are usually very compassionate and nurturing. They are learning the lessons of how to embody these qualities without the "smothering mother" effect. For all of us, then, Jupiter in Cancer is an opportunity to open our hearts and have compassion for ourselves and others. It is also an opportunity to serve others unconditionally, helping them to feel like they have a home and a sense of belonging. In other words, it's a time when the emphasis is on heart qualities (Cancer) rather than head qualities (Gemini). This is an especially powerful year for those born with Jupiter in Cancer, as they will experience Jupiter returning to the same position as it was at the time of their birth. The Jupiter return signifies a recommitment to whatever sign Jupiter is in. Jupiter-in-Cancer folks are being asked to recommit to their mission of serving others without losing themselves. To do this requires tapping into the source of nurturing energy (filling the cup) so they can serve without regret or burnout. It should be a good year for humanitarian efforts throughout the world. July 16- 27 Venus opposes Pluto and Chiron Venus in Gemini is in challenging aspect to Pluto in Sagittarius July 16-17 and to Chiron in Sagittarius from July 25-27. These transits facilitate our getting in touch with what we are passionate about. Venus/Pluto transits ask us to speak out about our convictions or what we are "righteously indignant" about. Many people never discover what they are passionate about because a layer of anger often veils their passion. Since anger is seen by many as an undesirable quality, the underlying passion is often thrown out as well. Venus opposite Chiron/Pluto asks us to speak out about our convictions and heal any wounds we may have around expressing our truth or our passion. July 19 Mars goes direct Mars in Sagittarius, which has been in retrograde since May 11, goes direct on July 19 at 15 degrees. With both Mercury and Mars retrograde over the last month or so, taking action (Mars) and effective communication (Mercury) have probably been a little challenging! Retrograde periods are times to integrate the planetary function represented more fully in our lives. During planetary retrogrades, we have the opportunity to see how we can manifest each planetary energy or function more consciously. In many ways, retrogrades ask us to look at how we can be more connected with our deepest, authentic selves. Mars retrograde in Sagittarius has asked us to align our will (Mars) with our idealism or vision (Sagittarius). Mercury retrograde in Gemini has challenged us to remain focused in the midst of overwhelming input and new information. Hopefully, by taking full advantage of the opportunities for growth presented to us by these planetary retrogrades, you can make your connection to your deepest self even deeper. July 20 New moon in Cancer A new moon occurs at 28 degrees Cancer on July 20 at 11:44 a.m. The focus this month is on discovering what we need for nurturing and comfort. Most of us are better at nurturing other people than ourselves, so this month is about "nurturing the nurturer." Spend some time by or in the water (preferably hot) this month. Examine your needs for being dependent on others. Is it really hard for you to ask for help? Do you go out of your way to look independent so you don't have to acknowledge your dependence needs? Open yourself to the nurturing influence of "the Mother" this month; you might be surprised at how she is always close to you through a myriad of helpful friends and loved ones! July 22 Sun enters Leo The sun moves into Leo on July 22 at 11:26 a.m. In nature, it is the height of the heat of summer, and the fruit is ripe and ready for picking. The Leo principle relates to the ripening and expression of one's creative energies. Our job in Leo is to tap into the beauty and fiery spirit of the divine child within and be role models for others in how to let that energy flow outward so that it is brought to fruition. July 30-August 14 Mercury in Leo With Mercury in Leo, the emphasis is on using the imaginative and playful aspects of the mind to create your own reality. Since the subtle or intuitive mind is a nonlinear or non-analytic function, during this transit the best way to benefit from the power of the mind is in playful, creative ways. Try art, dance, creative writing using the non-dominant hand, and the technique of brainstorming to further your creative efforts this month. As we suspend the critical and analytic part of our brains, we often can come up with undreamed-of solutions to everyday and major life decisions. By using the power of imagination and play, we free the mind to generate new possibilities that far exceed the dualistic "this or that" mentality of the concrete mind. You can also use Mercury in Leo to "rethink" your own creativity. Most people associate creativity with overt forms such as music, art, or other artistic expressions. With Mercury in Leo, we have an opportunity to get in touch with our creative muse, the divine child within. Use this transit to tap into your creative child. Find out how he or she would like to play. For many of us who are "doers," this is a tough assignment, as we were taught that we could play when the work was done. And guess what? The work was never done! Try free drawing, writing with your non-dominant hand, working with clay, or just being goofy. By giving your child permission to play, you will unleash the creative force within. Let the play be with you! James Jarvis, M.A., is a master astrologer, professional life coach, and transpersonal counselor. He combines an M.A. in transpersonal counseling, thirty years’ experience with Eastern and metaphysical traditions, and 15 years coaching and empowering clients to actualize their full potential. For those who want support in discovering, clarifying, and manifesting their vision, James is available for astrological consultations and life coaching sessions by phone. For a brochure of his services, or to schedule phone or mail order consultations, call (831) 688-0574. E-mail <jjarvis@lifeqwest.com> or visit James' Web site at <http://www.lifeqwest.com/>. |
By adding the universal year 2001 (2+0+0+1=3) to the 7th month of July, we come up with the vibration of 10/1. The 10/1 month is a time for new beginnings. It is a particularly good month for initiating any new projects that require you to draw on your creative energies. Take some time this month to reflect on how you can bring more joy and meaning to your work. If you have wanted to begin a new project that you are really passionate about, now is the time to tune in to how you can make it happen.